A -- SMALL-SCALE NATURAL GAS LIQUEFIER

Notice Date

August 20, 2001

Contracting Office

Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC, P.O. Box 1625, Mail Stop 3805, Idaho Falls, ID 83405-3805

ZIP Code

83405-3805

Solicitation Number

S-13

Response Due

September 20, 2001

Point of Contact

to Paul Grahovac, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3805 or David Anderson, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3805.

Description

Pressure let-down liquefaction process and natural gas fuel station technology. This is a potential patent licensing and commercialization opportunity with Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (BBWI), the prime operating contractor for the Department of Energy at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). BBWI seeks a partner or partners to license and commercialize an economical, small-scale natural gas liquefaction process and a liquid natural gas/compressed natural gas fueling station technology. Small-Scale Natural Gas Liquefier. As the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) advances toward widespread commercial application as a clean and potentially lower cost fuel for heavy trucks and buses, the prospect of producing LNG locally at small-scale plants drawing from existing natural gas lines becomes increasingly attractive. The LNG technology development team at the INEEL plans in the next few months to demonstrate a small-scale methane liquefaction plant (production of 5,000 to 10,000 gallons per day) they have been developing in collaboration with Pacific Gas and Electric and SoCal Gas. The Small-Scale Natural Gas Liquefier (SSNGL) is intended to produce fuel quality liquefied natural gas for natural gas vehicles. The SSNGL utilizes the pressure energy derived from the pressure let-down of natural gas from high-pressure transmission lines to low-pressure distribution lines to achieve this goal. The process uses a portion of the feed gas as coolant while the remainder is completely liquefied to product. Gas contaminants (Carbon dioxide (CO2) and water) are removed and returned to the gas distribution line with the coolant stream. Water is removed by addition of methanol and cooling to cryogenic temperatures. CO2 is removed as a solid utilizing a proprietary process. One of the obstacles to widespread use of LNG as a vehicle fuel is its cost and availability. At present, LNG for commercial use in vehicles is typically produced by conventional refrigeration technologies (compressors and refrigerant loops) at large-scale liquefaction plants (peak-shaving plants, helium production plants, etc.). Conventional refrigeration technologies are well- established, but the capital and operating costs are high for small-scale application. Advanced refrigeration technologies are typically even more expensive to build, though less expensive to operate. The benefits of large-scale plants are offset by high capital investment risk and over-the-road costs to transport fuel from centralized locations. This technology was developed to be economical in terms of both capital and operating expenditures. Other identified applications for such liquefaction plants include local peak shaving (liquefying during low demand and vaporizing during high demand), "virtual pipeline" service to remote commercial/industrial facilities, and the provision of natural gas for localized distribution systems. Many small communities do not have access to natural gas, however, they can install a local distribution system and supply it with LNG brought in on trucks and vaporized into the system. A liquefaction plant can be owned by a retailer, utility or the community and located closer to the end use than normal large supply sources, thus saving on transportation costs. With further development, the technology is also suitable for offshore platform and other stranded natural gas applications. This will require technology development collaboration with the licensee(s) for such applications. Low-cost Liquid Natural Gas/Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Station Technology. As the use of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) advances toward widespread commercial application as fuel for heavy duty trucks, buses, automobiles and light-duty trucks, the need for low-cost LNG and CNG refueling stations with cost-effective construction and low operating costs becomes more urgent. The INEEL LNG team is addressing this need for a low-cost LNG/CNG refueling station. Development efforts have focused on optimizing the fueling process, reducing the component and fabrication cost, improving operational characteristics, and eliminating the inefficiencies of an LNG/CNG station. The project is using the low-cost LNG/CNG station to demonstrate new technology and fuel management strategies that will assist in the establishment of natural gas as a viable, economical, technically sound, and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel and gasoline vehicle fuels. The LNG/CNG refueling station design has the following features: Variable Fuel Conditioning and Management. The station will be able to dispense fuel, both LNG and CNG, at temperatures, pressures, and flow rates compatible with natural gas vehicles' various fuel tank conditions and engine configurations. The station will compensate for varying ambient conditions to provide maximum fuel loading. Capability to refuel warm and high-pressure vehicle tanks. The station will allow the dispensing cold fuel into a warm vehicle tank or a tank at high pressure, without inconvenience and delays. Flow capacity. The station will be able to dispense fuel to heavy-duty vehicles at 30 to 50 gal/minute (LNG) and 1600 to 2000 scfm (CNG). Upgradeable. The station design will be modular in nature, allowing for economical configurations that can be used for a range of applications from small private operations to large municipal transit fleets. The modular design allows the station design to be reconfigured with a minimal amount of change. Distributed Natural Gas. The station can be used to supply natural gas for applications where pipeline natural gas is not available, or it can be used to augment existing pipelines where supplies are unable to meet peak demand. The INEEL technology team has reduced the cost of the fueling station by developing a design that employs a single pumping source to provide both LNG and CNG fuel, and uses an integrated temperature compensation circuit to service both fuel streams. The simplicity and low cost of the station combined with an innovative control system allows the user to add capacity or redundancy at much smaller incremental cost. The technology does not use gas compressors. This is not an opportunity to provide goods or services to BBWI or the Department of Energy. This Request for Interest (RFI) will close to response 30 days after publication. Interested parties should send e-mail to pg2@inel.gov (Paul Grahovac, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI) or andedr2@inel.gov (David Anderson, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI). If you do not have e-mail access, send regular mail to Paul Grahovac, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3805 or David Anderson, Senior Account Executive, Technology Transfer & Commercialization, BBWI, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3805.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010822/ASOL010.HTM (W-232 SN50V3X5)